Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to end recruitment freezes in radiology and cancer centres in order to meet cancer diagnostic and treatment referral targets.

The Government is committed to the National Health Service meeting all cancer waiting time standards by the end of this Parliament. NHS England continues to work towards its March 2027 cancer performance ambitions, including improvements in diagnostic and treatment waiting times.

Recruitment decisions are matters for individual NHS trusts, which are responsible for ensuring they have the workforce required to deliver safe and effective services.

The Government continues to support workforce growth across cancer services and there were more clinical oncology and radiology doctors working in NHS England in April 2026 than in April 2025.